Radio station selector



lJall. 29, v W' MYERS ET AL RADIO STATION SELECTOR Filed Aug. y15, 1931-2 Sheets-Sheet l Egg@ 9 4, gli;

Jan. 29, 1935. I J, W, MYERS ET AL 1,989,558

RADIO STATION SELECTOR Filed Aug. 15, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 2 PatentedJan. 29, 1935 UNI-TED STATES RADIO STATION SELECTOR Joseph W. Myers,Philadelphia, Pa., and Ernest E. Murray, Jackson, Mich.

Application August 13,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to selective position controlling devices and hasfor an object the provision of an automatic device that is particularlyadapted to be incorporated in a radio receiver for the purpose ofenabling a person to selectively control the tuning condenser shaftthereof. The invention enables a person to make and record, at any time,a number of selections of different radio stations that the person maywish to hear at various times within a given period subsequent to thetime at which the plurality of selections is made and recorded. Theapparatus is so designed that at the various predetermined times asrecorded, the stations recorded to be heard at such times will beautomatically tuned in on the radio receiver. The apparatus furtherprovides for quiet periods when no program is desired between any twodesired programs, and during these quiet periods the radio receiver maybe active without any radio program being heard. The apparatus furtherprovides for automatically shutting off or deenergizing the radioreceiver between programs or at the end of the last desired program.

The invention involves essentially the use of a perforable tape on whichthe'selections of the stations desired to be heard are recorded insuccession and in the order of time in which the desired programs arebeing broadcast. The recording of the selections is madeby punching aseries of holes or perforations in the tape at predetermined spacedintervals longitudinally of the tape, the spacing of the holes dependingupon, and being made in accordance with, the different frequency or wavelength ratings of the stations that the person wishes to hear. The

tape in turn acts as a means by which the condenser shaft of the radioreceiver when rotated is positioned to tune in the various stations, 40the holes in the tape functioning as the means for accurately stoppingthe rotation of the condenser shaft at the point at which the desiredradio station will come in on the receiver. Rotation of the condensershaft is accomplished by means of a time-controlled electric motor, suchmotor being controlled by a, timing apparatus which in turn is actuatedby an ordinary clock mechanism.

A clear understanding of the essential features and principles of theinvention may be had from the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial plan view illustrating the invention as applied to aradio receiver;

1931, Serial N0. 556,868

(Cl. Z50- 20) Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus ofFig. 1 with -a portion of thereceiver panel broken away; l

Fig. 3 is a side elevational yview illustrating the recording tapearrangement;` d

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the "clutch'of our device; I

Fig. 5 is a detail view ofthe rotating contact element of the timingapparattus;

Fig. 6 is a schematic wiring diagram of the 10 circuit of the device;and

Fig. 7 is aschematic illustration of a modification of the device.

Referring to the drawings, the front panel of a radio receiver isillustrated at l. Mounted on 15 panel l is the time-selecting mechanism2 which specifically forms no part of this invention but is disclosedand claimed in co-pending application, Serial No. 553,668 led July 28,1931. This Ltime-selecting mechanism comprises a series of 20 plungercontacts 3 arranged in a circle, concentric with a clock face 4 (seeFig. 2) at intervals corresponding to fteen minute periods of time.

In the present case, the time-selector is associated with an electricclock and is arranged for 25 a period of twelve hours. A contactarm 5(see Figs. 1 and 6) is carriedby the hour hand shaft of the clock and isadapted to travel from alignment with one contact plunger 3 to the nextsuccessive contact plunger 3 in fifteen minutes. 30 Normally the contactplungers 3 occupy the positions shown in Fig. l, wherein none of theplungers would be engaged by the rotating contact arm 5.`

Mounted behind panel 1, butvisible through a window 6 therein, is astation-selectingvdial in the form of a drum 7, on the peripheralsurface of which are graduations ,8 which primarily denote the frequencyor wave length ratings of stations in the broadcasting group, or thesegradua- 40 tions may be numbered from zero to 100 in known manner, butin any case the graduations provide identication of the points on thedial at which various stations are normally tuned in on the radioreceiver. It will be understood then that this dial is identical withthe usual tuning dial 9 of the receiver. Secured to the shaft 10 (seeFig. 3), on which the drum 7 is also secured, is a sprocket 11 havingteeth 12 adapted toV register with holes 13 (see Fig. 2) Y disposed 50lalong the opposite edges of the station-recording tape 14, the tapebeing normally wound on a reel 15 suitably mounted within the radioreceiver housing and having any desired form of braking mechanism toprevent over-running of', 55

or slackness in, the tape 14. At a predetermined distance above thehorizontal level of the shaft 10 is a punching mechanism 16 comprising apunch 17 and a die 18 between which the tape 14 is adapted to pass asshown in Fig. 3.

In setting up, or recording, selections for stations to be heard atvarious times throughout the period of time included in one revolutionof the contactarm 5, the dial 7 is, turned manually by means .ofvthenusual. operating knob 19 until the graduation 8 corresponding tothe first station to be heard is in line with the indicator of window 6through which dial 7 is visible. With the dial in this position, thepunch 17 is pressed into the die 18, thereby cutting a yhole in thecenter of the tape 14. At the same timethe plunger 3, corresponding tothe time at which this particular station is to be heard, `is pressedinwardly so that the rear end of such plunger lies in the path of therotating Contact arm 5. v. Thus'the iirstfstationto be heardis recordedJen .;the.tape14:andthe time at which this particular station is tobe-heardis recorded on thetiming device v2; `lf another station is to beheard ilfteerr` minutes after'the time of the starting ofj the rstrecorded program,v dial 7 is turned to indicate the next station desiredand the nextfsuccessive plungerclockwise on the time indicator 2 ispressed inwardly, and at the same time punch 17 is pressed to punch asecond hole in the tape 14. If thislsecond program is to be heard yforoner hour, for example, and then a quiet period is to be had, theplunger corresponding to the time at which the quiet period is `to startis pressed inwardly and the dial p7 is rotateduntil the .o position or apoint whichA may be marked quiet period there-1 on reaches the indicatorof window 6 and the punch "17 is pressed to punch another hole in thetape 14. If this quiet `periodis to be for thirty minutes, the plungercontact 3, corresponding to the time -at which the quiet period isv toend, is pressed inwardly. The dial 7 is rotated to indicate the nextstation to be heard and the punch Y 17 is pressed to record theselection on the tape 14. If this last selected station is to be heardfor a period of one hour, the plunger 3, corresponding to the time atwhich this program is to end, is pressed. The dial 7 is turned toregister the neXt station to be heard, or if'the set is to be shut offcompletely at that time, the dial .7 is turned to the point marked off,andthe punch 17 is pressed torecord the procedure onthetape 14. The dial7Ais adapted to be turned in a counterclockwise direction only, asviewed in Fig. 3, by` virtue of a ratchet wheel 58 carried on shaft 10and a pawl 59 pivotally secured adjacent tape 14 to a collar 67 on theshank of punch 17. VA coil spring 68 normally urges punch 17 outward,and the ratchet and pawl arrangement not only prevents clockwiserotation of dial 7 but also assures a predetermined minimum spacing ofpunched holes in tape 1.4, since thevpawl. rotates the ratchet wheel thedesired amount rupon release of punch 17 after each punching.VConsequently every time the dial is turned,` the tape 14 is `moveddownwardly through the punch and die mechanism 17-18. The tape which hasbeen advanced by this turning of `the dial 10 is formed into a loop,indicated at 20, within a suitable container 21 within the receivercabinet.

Below the station-selector` dial 10 `is located the usualtuning dial 9which may be rigidly mounted von condenser. shaft. 22, Also secured onshaft 22 is a sprocket 23 which corresponds to sprocket 11 on shaft 10of dial 7 and is provided with teeth 24 which correspond to the teeth 12oi sprocket 11 and which are also adapted to register with the holes 13.in the tape. Disposed above the horizontal plane of shaft 22, a distanceexactly the same as the distance between the horizontal plane of shaft10 and the center of punch 17, is a registering device 25. Thisregistering device comprisesafbl'ockvZ' having an opening 27corresponding to the opening in the die 18. Pivoted to the rear side ofthe'block 26, is a lever 28 which is provided with a projection 29adapted to pass through the openings in tape 14, successively, as thetape is fed downwardly past opening 27 of block 26. Spring 3G functionsto turn the lever about its pivot andv cause projection 29 to enter theopening in the tape which is brought into registry with the projectionto stop the tape against further downward movement. Consequently, therotation of shaft 22 is stopped which stops `the condenserfrotor platesof the receiver positively at the point at which the first recordedstation is brought in on the receiver.

. Rotation ofv shaft 22 is accomplished by means of an electric motor31. Shaft 22 is axially aligned with the `armature shaft 32 of the mo;

tor, being coupled thereto by means of afriction or slip clutch 33,which comprisesone disc 34 secured to the shaft 22 and a secondkdisc 35secured to the armature shaft 34, so that when projection 29 enters oneof the holes in tape 14 and thereby stops the rotation of shaft 22,rotation of the armature shaft 32 may continue without injuring the tapein any Way. Actuation of the motor to rotate; shaft 22 for tuning in thefirst recorded kstation Yis effected at the time the program to be heardis listed by the movable Contact 5 engaging the rst of the depressedplunger contacts 3, which, through a4 circuit hereinafter described,effects the actuation of the motor 31.

This circuit is disclosed in Fig. 6 .and comprisesv transformer39`through conductor 40, off switchl 41, described hereinafter, andconductor 42, while conductor 36 is connected directly to the other sideof primary 38.- The transformer may be usual transformer of the powersupply unit for the receiver, the secondary43 being connected to thereceiver apparatus in theusual manner. The time selector v2`is connectedin a shunt circuit across line 36-37 which circuit includes conductor44,',contact plunger 3, Contact 5, conductor 45, switches 46 and 47 inparallel,- winding 48 of relay49, and conductor 50. vIf an electricclock is Yused in connection with the time-selecting mechanism, as inthe present instance, such clock may be also connected across line36-37by means of suitable conductors land 52. The off switch 41 isshunted by a branch circuit which includes conductor 53, contacts 54 ofrelay 49, and conductor 55.

be apparent hereinafter. l v

The actuating motor 31 is connected -in a shunt circuit across lthesecondary 43 of transformer 39. One side of the secondary is connectedby means of conductor 5 6 directly to one side of the motor, while theother-side of the secondary is in Fig. 6, switch comprisesarelativelyfstation- The purpose ofthis arrangement will Cil ary contact6l and a movable contact 62 carried at the end of lever 28. A branchcircuit comprising conductor 63, winding 64 of solenoid 65, conductor66, switch 92, and conductor 93 is connected across the winding 48 ofrelay 49. Lever 28 carries a centrally disposed armature 69 which isattracted by the core of solenoid' 65 when the latter is energized toremove projection 29 from a punched hole in the tape, as will be clearlyunderstood later.

The purpose of switch 47 is to control the action of the timingmechanism 2.4 With the arrangement of the plunger contacts 3 and contactarm 5, as illustrated, the contact arm will engage a selected plungercontact during the time interval of approximately two minutes duration.It will be apparent that this relatively long period will be unnecessaryat times when slight rotation of the tuning dial is required tosuccessively tune in the selected stations. In order to enable areduction in the time of energization of the circuit, switch 47 isprovided. This switch comprises a pair of contacts 70, one of which isactuated by a rotating arm 7l, the contacts being Aclosed once duringeachrevolution of the arm. Arm 71 is also driven from the clockmechanism but is arranged so as to rotate once every fteen minutes andto maintain the circuit closed at such times during intervals ofapproximately ten seconds. It'will be apparent then that switch 47 willbe closed only ten seconds during each closure of the circuit bythe'time-selecting mechanism 2, thus reducing the time of energizationof the circuit to a ten-second period at the outset of the two-minuteperiod of energization of the time-selecting mechanism. 'Ihe purpose ofswitch 46 is to enable switch 47 to be rendered ineffective and causingenergization of the circuit during the full two-minute period. Switch 46may be any suitable manually operable switch, such for example as a snapswitch having an operating leverl 64a. (see Fig. 2). It will be apparentthat one or lmore switches similar to switch 47 may be provided inseries to enable a further Variation in the energizing period.

Switch 92 is similar to switch 47 and its rotatable arm 94 is alsodriven from the clock mechanism so that it rotates once every minute.'Ihis switch diiers from switch 47, however, in that it is designed toclose its contacts during a very short interval, say two seconds, at theoutset of the energization periods of mechanism 2 and switch 47. Duringthis short interval, energizing current will flow through the parallelcircuits of windings 48 and 64.

y Considering the operation of the various ele- -ments of the circuitjust described, as contact 5 rotates and engages one of the depressedplungers 3, relay'49 is energized either during the entire two-minuteperiod of engagement of contact 5 with the depressed plunger or duringthe tensecond period of closure of switch 47. At this time, the relaycloses its contacts, short-circuiting the 0E switch 41 to render itineffective. At the same time, solenoid is energized by closure ofswitch 92, as explained above. Energization of the solenoid causesthe'lever 28 to be swung to the right against the action of spring 30 toclose switch 60 and thus start the motor. At the same time, projection29 is, of course, withdrawn from a hole in the tape and the motorrotates the condenser shaft and causes the tape to move downward. Switch92 causes energization of solenoid 65, however, only long enough tocause retraction of projection 29 from the tape and allow initialmovement thereof. Deenergization of vsolenoid 65, releases lever 28, butat this time, the hole inl the tape has moved downward'and the tapeholds lever 28 in its switch closing position against the action ofspring 30, as illustrated in Fig. 6, until the next hole is in alignmentwith projection 29,

at which time the spring forces the projection into the hole to stop thetape and open switch 60.V

This, of course, cuts off the motor Asupply and causes it to stop. Themovable or rotor condenser plates will now be in the proper positionrelative to the stationary or stator plates toy bring in the desiredprogram. If the hole in the tape correspondsl to a quiet period,the'condenser plates will have been stopped at such position as to tunein no station. If the hole has been punched to shut olf the receiverentirely, the source of energy will becut off by the off switch to bedescribed below.

On shaft 22 (see Fig. 3) is a wheel 72 which has a notch 73 in itsperiphery adapted to receive one end of a spring-pressed plunger 74, theopposite end 75 of said plunger forming a contact adapted to co-operatewith a fixed contact 76. Such contacts are, of course, the contacts ofoil" switch 41.

tial that the off switch be ineffective to interferev with the automatictuning in of desired stations. Furthermore, the arrangement permits theautomatic shutting olf of the .receiver between programs.

If at any time it is desired to operate the conth-e automatic mechanismabove described may be thrown out by turndenser shaft 22 manually,

ing the knob 77 clockwise. This knob is mounted on the outer end of ashaft 78 Aon the inner end of which is a cam 79 adapted to engage oneend of a lever 80. Thelever 80 is pivoted at 81 toa bracket secured tothe back of the panel 1 and the opposite end of lever 80 is ment 82 of aclutch 83 which is shown in detail in Fig. 4. The shaft 22 is in twoparts, dial'9 being secured to one section which forms the condensershaft, while the clutch mounted on and splined to the other section. Theclutch element 82 is provided with a pin 84'which is adapted tol enter ahole formed in a second clutch element 86 secured to the condensershaft. Consequently, upon turning knob 77, pin 84 is withdrawn from hole85, thus permitting the tuning dial 9 to be turned by hand in the usualmanner, but upon turning the knob 77 in a manner to re-engage theelements of the clutch 83, the end of the pin 84 will ride on thesurface of the clutch element 66 until the dial 9 is rotated suicientlyto bring the hole 85 in line with the pin 84, whereupon the said pinwill enter the opening 85 and thereby re-connect the two sections of theshaft When shaft 22 is in a position corresponding to the positionmarked off on dial 7, c

connected to oneelei element 82 is slidably 22 so that the sprocket 23will be brought into proper registry with dial 9. In this manner, the'To return plungers' totheir normal positions, inthe event that an erroris made in a selection, each plunger is provided with a collar 87 (seeFig. 1) and these collars are 'adapted to be engaged by a ring 88 whichis connected to a pivoted fork 89 actuable by knob 90. Thus ring 88 isadapted to be moved axially ofthe timing device 2 by applying pressureto knob 90 which will move all the plungers outwardly, bringing theirinner ends out of the path of the rotatingcontact 5. While thisstructure could also be used to set up new selections, 'we prefer toconstruct contact arm 5 as. illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein it will benoted that the arm carries a cam member 91 which automatically returnsthe depressed plungers to normal after electrical contact therewith byarm 5 ceases.

In Fig. 7, there is illustrated a modication wherein the punched holesin tape 14 cause the operation of a solenoid brake 95 for instantlystopping motor 31. In this instance, lever 28 and spring 3D areinoludedas electrically conductive elements inthe motor and brakecircuits, switch functioning as before to close the motor circuit whensolenoid is energized. The motor shaft is provided with a brake drum 96which. is engageable by a pivotally mounted brake shoe 97 adapted foroperation by the movable plunger of solenoid 98. The winding of solenoid98 has one end connected through conductor 99 to one side of the motorsupply circuit, while its other eX- tremity isconnected throughconductor 100-to block 260.such block being electrically conductive inthis instance. f

During energization of solenoid 65brake solenoid 9S is deenergized, aswill be apparent, and brake will be` ineffective, the weight of thesolenoid plunger urging theshoe away from drum 96. Upon movement ofprojection 29 into a punched hole and consequent moment of lever 28,however, the brake solenoid is energized to render the brake operativeto stop motor 31', the motor supply circuit being simultaneously openedat switch 60.l The modified system is otherwise similar to thepreviously described system.

Obviously, many changes and modifications within the scope of theinvention are possible. The appendedclaims define the scope of theinvention, and only such limitations as are contained in the claims areto be imposed upon the invention. i

We claim:-

l. The combination with a radio receiver having a tuning element shaft,of means for rotating said shaft, time-controlled means for actuatingsaid first means at a predetermined time, a second shaft, means formanually adjusting the position of said second shaft to similate adesired position of said tuning element shaft, a perforable tape movableby said shafts for disabling said first meansto stop rotation of saidtuning element shaft at said desired position, and means for perforatingsaid tape after manual adjustment of said second shaft to record saiddesired position.

2. The combination witha radio receiver having a tuning element shaft,of means for rotating said shaft, time-controlled means for actuatingsaid first means at predetermined times, a second shaft, means forsuccessively manually adjusting the position of said second shaft tosimilate desired positions of said tuning element shaft, a perforabletape movable by said shafts for disabling said iirst means to-s'toprotation of s'aid tuning 'element shaft at said desired positions, andmeans for perforating said tape after each manual adjustment of saidsecond shaft to record said desired positions.

3, The' combination with a movable member whose position it is desired`to control, of means for moving said member, means for controlling saidfirst means, selective time-controlled means for rendering saidcontrolling means effective 'during a short interval to start said firstmeans and move said member, and a perforable tape operable by saidmember for maintaining said controlling means effective until apredetermined position of said member represented by a perforation isreached. f

tl. The combination with a movable member whose position it is desiredto control, of means for moving said member, means for controlling saidfirst means, selective time-controlled means for successively renderingsaid controlling means effective during short intervals to start saidfirst means and move said member, and a perforable tape operable by saidmember for maintaining said controlling means effective after eachactuation thereof until successive predetermined po-y sitionsrepresented by successive perforations are reached. 1 i

5. ri'lie combination with a movable member whose position it is desiredto control, of a motor for driving said member, electrically operablebrake means for stopping said motor, means for energizing said motor, aperforable tape operable by said member for controlling said brake meansand said energizing' means to stop said member at a desired position,and means for perforating said tape to record said desired position inad- Vance.

6. The combination with a movablev member whose position it is desiredtocontrol, of means for moving said member, time controlled means foractuating said first means, a second movable member, means for manuallyadjusting the position of saidsecond member to similate a desiredposition of said first member, a perforable tape movable by said'membersfor disabling said first means to stop movement of said rst member atysaid desiredposition, and meansfor'perforating said tape'after manualadjustment-.of said second member to record said desired position.'

'7. The combination `with Va movable member whose position it isdesired' to control,y of means for moving said member, selectivetime-controlled means for actuating said first means to move saidmember, and a perforable tape operable by said r member for maintainingactuation of said first means until a predetermined position of saidAmember representedby a perforation is reached.

8. The combination with a radio receiver having a rotatable tuningelement shaft, of a switch included in an energizing circuit of saidreceiver,

means for maintaining said switch` closed for all positions of saidshaft throughout thetuning range but permitting the switch to Aopen at aposition of the shaft outside said range, time-con-` trolled means forrotating said shaftI at a predetermined time, and means forshort-circuiting said switch during the automatic rotation of the shaftto prevent deenergization of the receiver.

JosEPI-ry w. MYERS. ERNEST E.V MURRAY

